In August 2024, a study conducted by UC Berkely looked at 16 different metals in various tampon brands and product lines. This was the first study of its kind to investigate metals in tampons and unfortunately it returned some concerning results that have women on edge. The study tested for arsenic, barium, calcium, cadmium, cobalt, chromium, copper, iron, manganese, mercury, nickel, lead, selenium, strontium, vanadium and zinc. The tampons had measurable concentrations of all 16 metals. However, the most concerning finding was the presence of lead and arsenic in both organic and non-organic tampons.
Of course, women who use tampons have reason to be concerned by the presence of metals in a product that is inserted into the vaginal tissue which has a higher potential for chemical absorption. In fact, between 52-86% of menstruating women in the United States use tampons for multiple days, every month, over the span of numerous years. On average, a woman will use between 10,000 – 15,000 tampons in her lifetime. These recent findings, combined with extensive usage, raise concerns about the safety of tampons for the millions of Americans that use them.
So where did the metals come from? There are several ways in which the metals could get into tampons including from materials such as cotton and rayon that may be contaminated by water, soil or air during production or alternatively they may have been added in the manufacturing process for pigment, odor control or as an antibacterial agent.
Following release of this study, the FDA announced on Tuesday that it commissioned an independent literature review and an internal bench laboratory study to evaluate the presence of metals in tampons, whether metals are released during use and if released, whether they are absorbed into the vaginal lining and bloodstream. If these studies find that heavy metals do in fact leach from tampons into the body, it could create a significant female health concern. The negative effects of heavy metal exposure are wide-ranging and can include both reproductive issues and cancer. Currently, the FDA classifies tampons as medical devices and does regulate their safety. However, this does not include testing for chemical contaminates.
While this study is an important first step, there are still many questions that need to be answered. Ongoing investigation is certainly needed to fully understand the magnitude of the issue and any potential long-term effects from this type of metal exposure. Anapol Weiss is carefully following these developments, and will be ready to represent women if it is determined heavy metal contaminated tampons caused their injuries.